What does it take for men to see the Kingdom of God?

Jesus answered and said to Him, “Amen, amen I say to you, unless one is born again, he is not able to see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

What causes corruption of the Gospel message? An exegetical study of John’s account of our Lord’s contention with the Jewish religious leaders during His earthly ministry reveals that Jesus came to Israel to reveal the Father to Israel proving that He, the Son, was deity, to live a perfect, sinless life and then lay His life down voluntarily to purchase those who were chosen before the foundation of the world with the price of His blood. His perfect sacrifice was their propitiation. We learn these things and so much more by going to the Word and learning from the Holy Spirit as He transforms our minds as we submit to it. Studies into the Word like these are sorely needed in the Body of Christ. I would hate to be a Pastor whose time has come to stand before our Lord to give an account that had sold out and ministered in a way that simply tickled itching ears.

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus during the night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one is able to do these signs You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen I say to you, unless one is born again, he is not able to see the Kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How is a man able to be born being old? Surely he is not able to enter into his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Amen, amen I say to you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he is not able to enter into the Kingdom of God. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of the spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, it is necessary for you to be born again. 8 The wind blows where it wishes and the sound of it you hear, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes, so is everyone having been born of the Spirit.” (John 3:1-8 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

In these eight verses we have Nicodemus’ secret inquiry of Jesus vv1-3 then in vv4-8 our Lord’s insight into Nicodemus. This man was one of the Φαρισαίων or Pharisees. This Greek word most likely comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to separate.” The Pharisees considered themselves to the “separated ones, “ hence their penchant toward self-righteousness and, therefore, spiritual blindness. Their main problem was not in their desire to purify the Jewish religious, but in their zealousness for ritual and religious purity according to the Mosaic Law plus their own traditions. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, but he had a Greek name which means “victor over the people.” He was a member of the Sanhedrin. He was a secret follower of Jesus (John 7:50-52) until our Lord’s crucifixion then he helped Joseph of Arimathea give him a decent burial (John 19:38-42). This night meeting with Jesus was more than likely done by Nicodemus so that he would not risk disfavor with his fellow Pharisees who mostly are our Lord’s enemies.

In v3 our Lord changes the subject quickly. The word “again” translates the adverb ἄνωθεν or anōthen, “from above, from a higher place, from the first, from the beginning, from the very first, anew, over again.” You see, what our Lord was saying to Nicodemus and us is much more, and much deeper than what most people hear in some “so-called gospel presentation” nowadays. This has more to do with the nature of God and the utterly depraved nature of the natural man than anything else. God is Holy and Righteous and Just. He cannot even be in presence of sin without judging it. Therefore, what Jesus was telling Nicodemus and us is that to see the Kingdom of God we have to be completely changed. We have to be born again from above. We don’t just start over. No, we start anew, declared righteous and just with our Lord’s perfect righteousness (both his passive and active obedience) imputed to our account.

Nicodemus, just like everyone else, had the dire need for spiritual transformation or regeneration produced by the Holy Spirit. This New Birth is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the believer (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18). We also learn in John 1:12, 13 that those who are “born again” become the children of God through trust in the name of the incarnate Word.

In v4 Nicodemus picks up our Lord’s symbolism via his rabbinical method of using figurative language. He was merely asking the question that would lead to our Lord’s next point. In v5 our Lord’s reference to being born of water is the need for cleansing (Ezekiel 36:24-27). This is still figurative language and refers to the spiritual cleansing that is part of the spiritual washing or purification of the soul, accomplished by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God at the moment of salvation (Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5). This washing of regeneration is required for belonging to His kingdom.

In v8 we have a very definitive verse about the God’s sovereignty in salvation. Our Lord’s point in v8 was that the wind cannot be controlled or understood by human beings but its effects can be witnessed, so also it is with the Holy Spirit. Where the Holy Spirit works, there is undeniable and unmistakable evidence. Notice that people do not regenerate themselves. They cannot cleanse themselves. This is the work of the Holy Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “You are a teacher of Israel and you do not know these things? 11 Amen, amen I say to you, that which we know we speak and that which we have seen we testify about, and our testimony you do not receive. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 And no one has ascended into Heaven except the Son of Man who has descended out of Heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up 15 that everyone believing in Him may have eternal life.” (John 3:9-15 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

In v10 our Lord refers to Νικόδημος as ὁ διδάσκαλος or ho didaskalos, “the teacher.” This meant that he was a renowned master-teacher in the nation of Israel. He had a high standing among the rabbis or teachers of his day yet here he is at night seeking a secret meeting with Jesus. In vv11-12 our Lord focuses on the fact that unbelief is the cause of ignorance. When people are given clear, irrefutable, Biblical evidence in our day and there only response is to scoff and reply with human philosophy, hostility, seeking to intimidate, et cetera then we have the very same hard hearted response that our Lord dealt with in His ministry from the Jewish rulers. They had intellect, but their unbelief caused them to have hard hearts of darkness that are unable to see the truth. Jesus indicts Nicodemus’ unbelief in v11 and says it is typical of the nation of Israel as a collective whole.

Our Lord makes it clear in v13 that no one who claims to have ascended to Heaven and returned and talk about it is genuine. Only He had His permanent abode in Heaven prior to His incarnation and, therefore, only He has the true knowledge regarding heavenly wisdom.

In v14 our Lord talks about Himself as the Son of Man and that He must be lifted up. This is his prediction of His death on the Cross. This refers to Numbers 21:5-9 where Moses made a bronze serpent, put it on a pole that the Israelites who had been bitten by serpents could look upon the snake and be healed. Just as Moses lifted up the snake on the pole so that all who looked upon it might survive their snake bite, those who look to Christ, who was “lifted up” on the Cross, will live spiritually and eternally.

In v15 we have the term ζωὴν αἰώνιον or life eternal or literally “life of the age to come.” Eternal life refers to resurrection and heavenly existence in perfect glory and holiness. This is in essence nothing less than participation in the eternal life of the Living Word, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, I urge you brothers through the compassions of God to present your bodies as living, holy sacrifices, well pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service. And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may discern the will of God, that which is good and well pleasing and perfect.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. (Colossians 1:24-26 ESV)

The way of escape

"To believe that He will preserve us is, indeed, a means of preservation. God will certainly preserve us, and make a way of escape for us out of the temptation, should we fall. We are to pray for what God has already promised. Our requests are to be regulated by His promises and commands. Faith embraces the promises and so finds relief." - John Owen

How to be free from bondage to our flesh and temptation

"If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: 'God, preserve my soul, and keep my heart and all its ways so that I will not be entangled.' When this is true in our lives, a passing temptation will not overcome us. We will remain free while others lie in bondage." - John Owen

Meta

About me

My name is Mike Ratliff. I am a δοῦλος (slave) of the Κύριον ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν (Lord Jesus Christ.) I have been a Bible teacher since the late 1980's. I am currently learning Koine Greek, which I began in 1992 and will continue to do so until the Lord takes me home. I am Reformed in my theology because I recognize that God is Sovereign over all things. I write these posts as God directs. I am also part of the discernment team at Christian Research Network.

OTHERS MAY, YOU CANNOT

by G. D. Watson

If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-25

If God has called you to be truly like Jesus in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. He will put on you such demands of obedience that you will not be allowed to follow other Christians. In many ways, He seems to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Others who seem to be very religious and useful may push themselves, pull wires, and scheme to carry out their plans, but you cannot. If you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag about themselves, their work, their successes, their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. If you begin to do so, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money, or having a legacy left to them, or in having luxuries, but God may supply you only on a day-to-day basis, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, a helpless dependence on Him and His unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward while keeping you hidden in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.

God may let others be great, but keep you small. He will let others do a work for Him and get the credit, but He will make you work and toil without knowing how much you are doing. Then, to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work which you have done; this to teach you the message of the Cross, humility, and something of the value of being cloaked with His nature.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, and with a jealous love rebuke you for careless words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and has a right to do as He pleases with His own, and that He may not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you.

God will take you at your word. If you absolutely sell yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love and let other people say and do many things that you cannot. Settle it forever; you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue or chaining your hand or closing your eyes in ways which others are not dealt with. However, know this great secret of the Kingdom: When you are so completely possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven, the high calling of God.